Currently most automatic weapon systems utilize belts made of metal links. Belts are of the continuous joined link type or the disintegrating type. Many different configurations of links have been tested and used depending on factors, such as ammunition design, feed tray design, firing chamber design and pitch requirements defined by the belt and firing chamber design. The requirements of stripping and delinking of cartridges from belts also presents problems. In some systems, the cartridge is stripped forward from the belt by forward motion of a rammer. In other systems, the cartridge is extracted rearwardly and then fed to the firing chamber. Lateral stripping is also used on some systems. In still other systems the linked cartridges are fed while linked into the firing chamber.
The weight of the moving belt during firing imposes limitations on the firing capability of the systems as well as the effects of surge and spike loads of the moving belt. While some prior art belts have been utilized which were constructed of flexible fibrous or plastic materials wherein the cartridges are disposed in a plurality of spaced apart pockets, these have not been generally adopted in practice because the foregoing problems and difficulties were not overcome, particularily where the weapon system mechanism strips the cartridges forwardly from the path of movement of the belt into the firing chamber.